Best Cards for Isshin, Two Heavens as One (2026 Guide)
Isshin, Two Heavens as One is a Mardu commander that takes the phrase "attack triggers" to an entirely new level. Whenever a creature you control attacks, if that creature has an ability that triggers when it attacks, that ability triggers an additional time. Double the triggers, double the chaos, double the fun.
This simple yet devastating ability turns decent attack-trigger cards into absolute powerhouses. A creature that creates one token on attack now creates two. A creature that drains one life now drains two. The math compounds quickly, and before opponents know it, they're facing an overwhelming board state. Want to design custom tokens for your growing army? Let's explore the best cards for Isshin!
1. Adeline, Resplendent Cathar
Mana Cost:
Adeline creates a 1/1 Human token tapped and attacking for each opponent when she attacks. With Isshin, this doubles to two tokens per opponent—that's six tokens per attack in a four-player game. Adeline herself also scales, gaining +1/+4 for each creature you control.
Why it's essential:
- Creates 6+ tokens per attack in multiplayer
- Tokens enter already attacking, bypassing summoning sickness
- Grows into a massive threat as your board expands
2. Aurelia, the Warleader
Mana Cost:
Aurelia provides extra combat steps, and Isshin doubles that trigger. When Aurelia attacks for the first time each turn, you get an additional combat phase and untap all creatures you control. With Isshin, this triggers twice, giving you potentially three combat phases in one turn.
Why it's essential:
- Three combat phases means triple attack triggers
- Flying and vigilance make her deadly in combat
- Synergizes with every other attack-trigger creature
3. Brutal Hordechief
Mana Cost:
Brutal Hordechief drains each opponent for 1 life when any creature you control attacks. With Isshin, each attacking creature triggers this twice—a swing with 10 creatures makes each opponent lose 20 life while you gain 20. The activated ability to control blocking is gravy.
Why it's essential:
- Massive life swings that scale with attackers
- Drains all opponents simultaneously
- Control blockers to push damage through
4. Hellrider
Mana Cost:
Hellrider pings the defending player for 1 damage whenever a creature you control attacks. Isshin doubles this, so each creature deals 2 damage just by attacking, before combat damage is even calculated. With 10 attackers, that's 20 damage before blocks are declared.
Why it's essential:
- Damage gets through regardless of blocking
- Doubles efficiently with Isshin
- Four mana for a game-ending threat
5. Mardu Ascendancy
Mana Cost:
When a nontoken creature you control attacks, create a 1/1 Goblin token tapped and attacking. Isshin doubles this to two tokens per attacker. Attack with 5 creatures, get 10 Goblins. The sacrifice ability also protects your board from wraths at instant speed.
Why it's essential:
- Doubles your attacking force instantly
- Tokens trigger other attack-based effects
- Built-in protection from board wipes
6. Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin
Mana Cost:
When Krenko attacks, he gets a +1/+1 counter and creates Goblin tokens equal to his power. With Isshin, both triggers double—Krenko grows faster and creates twice as many tokens. A Krenko that's been attacking for a few turns produces armies from each swing.
Why it's essential:
- Exponential token generation
- Gets out of hand incredibly fast
- Low mana cost for early deployment
7. Professional Face-Breaker
Mana Cost:
Face-Breaker creates a Treasure token whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to a player. While this isn't technically an attack trigger, it synergizes perfectly with the go-wide strategy. The Treasures fuel bigger plays and can be sacrificed for impulsive draw.
Why it's essential:
- Massive mana acceleration from combat
- Card advantage through impulse draw ability
- Enables explosive follow-up turns
8. Reconnaissance
Mana Cost:
This unassuming one-mana enchantment is secretly one of the best cards in the deck. You can remove an attacking creature from combat and untap it. Use it after triggers resolve but before damage to get all your attack triggers while keeping creatures safe—effectively free vigilance and protection.
Why it's essential:
- Protects all your attackers from bad blocks
- Attacks trigger without combat risk
- One mana for permanent protection
9. Dolmen Gate
Mana Cost:
Attacking creatures you control can't be dealt combat damage. Simple, brutal, effective. Your creatures attack with impunity, triggering all their abilities twice thanks to Isshin, without ever dying to blockers. Opponents must use removal spells or watch their life totals evaporate.
Why it's essential:
- Removes all combat risk from attacking
- Two mana for permanent creature protection
- Lets you swing into any board state safely
10. Captain Lannery Storm
Mana Cost:
Lannery creates a Treasure token when she attacks—doubled to two with Isshin. She also gets +1/+0 when you sacrifice an artifact, turning those Treasures into combat buffs. The ramp and growing threat combine for excellent early-game aggression.
Why it's essential:
- Treasure generation funds bigger plays
- Grows while you ramp
- Haste lets her attack immediately
11. Etali, Primal Storm
Mana Cost:
When Etali attacks, exile the top card of each player's library and cast any number of those cards for free. Isshin doubles this, exiling two cards from each player. That's 8 free cards in a four-player game—absurd card advantage and free spells from a single attack.
Why it's essential:
- Casts opponents' cards for free
- Doubled trigger = 8+ free cards per attack
- Game-ending if it attacks twice
12. Karlach, Fury of Avernus
Mana Cost:
At the beginning of the first combat phase on your turn, if you attacked, untap all creatures you control, and they gain first strike until end of turn. You get an additional combat phase. With Isshin, this triggers twice for even more combat phases.
Why it's essential:
- Extra combat phases stack attack triggers
- First strike protects your attacking creatures
- Background option allows partner combinations
13. Anim Pakal, Thousandth Moon
Mana Cost:
When Anim Pakal attacks, create X 1/1 Gnome tokens tapped and attacking, where X is one plus the number of other nontoken creatures you control that attacked this combat. Isshin doubles this—attack with 5 creatures, create 10+ Gnomes. The board explodes.
Why it's essential:
- Token generation that scales with your board
- Low mana cost for early plays
- Gnomes trigger additional attack effects
14. Godo, Bandit Warlord
Mana Cost:
Godo finds an Equipment when he enters, then grants an extra combat phase when he attacks (for Samurai and Warriors). Isshin doubles the combat trigger, meaning Godo alone enables three combat phases. Fetch Helm of the Host to go infinite.
Why it's essential:
- Tutors for best equipment in your deck
- Multiple combat phases from one creature
- Can enable infinite combat combos
15. Aggravated Assault
Mana Cost:
Pay
Why it's essential:
- Infinite combat potential
- Each extra combat doubles all attack triggers again
- Combines with Treasure generators naturally
Honorable Mentions
These cards didn't make the top 15 but deserve consideration:
- Commissar Severina Raine — Draws cards and creates tokens on attack
- Fervent Charge — +2/+2 to all attacking creatures per combat
- Iroas, God of Victory — Menace and protection from blocking damage
- Embercleave — Flash equipment that turns any attacker lethal
- Combat Celebrant — Exerts for extra combat, doubled by Isshin
Damage Multipliers and Finishers
While not attack triggers themselves, these cards multiply your combat damage:
- Impact Tremors / Purphoros, God of the Forge — Deal damage when tokens enter
- Cathars' Crusade — All creatures get +1/+1 counters when tokens enter
- Shared Animosity — Attacking creatures get +1/+0 for each other attacker of their type
With your token generators creating double the tokens each attack, these turn modest attacks into lethal swings.
Building Your Isshin Deck
The key to Isshin success is attack-trigger density. Every creature in your deck should have a relevant attack trigger to maximize Isshin's doubling effect. Beyond creatures, include protection pieces like Reconnaissance and Dolmen Gate to ensure your attackers survive to trigger repeatedly.
Token generators are particularly strong since the tokens themselves can have attack triggers or be enhanced by anthems. Extra combat cards multiply your advantage further—each additional combat means another round of doubled triggers.
Want to test your Isshin list before investing? Use our proxy printer to print high-quality proxies and playtest with your group. And consider creating custom tokens for your Goblins, Humans, and Gnomes—nothing intimidates opponents like a unified army of personalized creature tokens!
What are your favorite Isshin synergies? Did we miss any attack-trigger all-stars? Combat in Commander keeps evolving with new sets, and Isshin benefits from every new attack trigger printed!
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